GRDC invested in the Regional Cropping Solutions Network (RCSN) in 2011 with the primary aim to identify local research, development and extension priorities. There are five RCSNs across the Western Region, which have been divided on a port zone basis with two in Kwinana (Kwinana East and Kwinana West). The RCSN consists of a mix of over 70 growers and industry professionals who meet formally…

It is critically important to the Australian barley industry that future barley varieties are suitable to export market requirements. To help ensure the development of suitable export barley varieties, the barley Quality Objectives Group recommended that breeders and chemists be included in marketing missions. This will enable them to obtain a first-hand understanding of the barley quality…

Organisation: The University of Western AustraliaProject start date:1 Feb 2000Project end date:31 May 2005

The study focused on the processes that regulate sink strength during seed development and particularly those relating to nitrogen (N). The importance of asparaginase, amino acid transporters and ammonium (NH 4+ ) transporters in these processes was investigated with the specific aims of: Defining how nitrogenous compounds are transported in developing lupin seeds. Determining what factors…

The primary purpose of the Malting Barley Development Council (MBDC) has been to ensure the effective communication of market information to barley researchers and growers. There is no doubt that this has been achieved with MBDC meetings held in conjunction with the most recent Barley Technical Symposiums. The MBDC has also helped to identify specific research required to support the needs of the …

This GRDC-funded project developed a demonstration site at the Western Australian College of Agriculture Morawa, consisting of a replicated combination of continuous cropping, chemical and mechanical fallow trials. Stored soil moisture was measured under each treatment with a Theta probe soil moisture sensor while grain yields were recorded from cropped strips. During the season, up to 50mm of…

Over the past five years, 47% of Australia's canola exports have been to the European Union (EU). Due to policy changes in the EU, the Australian canola industry must satisfy new EU reporting requirements that Australian canola provides greenhouse gas (GHG) emission savings of at least 50% (compared to emissions from use of mineral diesel), if exports to the EU are to continue after 2016. This…

Organisation: University of Western AustraliaProject start date:9 Feb 2001Project end date:7 Mar 2005

This project comprised research towards a PhD thesis and focused on evaluating the salt and waterlogging tolerance of wild species from the genus Hordeum . A number of important traits associated with salt or waterlogging tolerance were identified in a number of wild Hordeum species. For example, a capacity to exclude sodium (Na) and chlorine (Cl) at high salinity and also improved root aeration…

Organisation: University of Western AustraliaProject start date:1 Jul 2014Project end date:30 Jun 2015

The methodology of this project consisted of testing the efficacy of 19 different chemical treatments in reducing frost damage (in terms of floret induced sterility (FIS)) in plants grown in pots. Each single pot was the experimental unit. Overall, the results obtained in four experiments were significantly different and data were pooled when significant differences in the overall FIS were not…

In Western Australia (WA), high frequencies of herbicide resistant annual weed populations have been driving farming practices for the past decade. Techniques targeting weed seeds during harvest have been widely adopted, particularly in the northern areas of the state. The collection and management of the weed seed bearing chaff fraction results in significant reductions in annual weed population …

Eastern areas of the western Australian grainbelt are receiving significant 'out of growing' season rainfall, providing growers with early sowing opportunities in approx. 50% of years (source: Bureau of Meteorology (BoM)) This project attempted to validate grower practice, especially in relation to wheat in regard to April sowing. This project aimed to look at three times of sowing (TOS) by four…